Wishful Thinking
by younggrimm
Summary: Orphaned at thirteen, Mandy took on the responsibility of caring for her two younger siblings. On what began as a normal afternoon at the park, the unthinkable happens! When she is forced to wish away the twins, Jareth allows her to run his labyrinth. Mandy will stop at nothing to win the twins back and bring them home, where they belong. Rated for language and violence.
1. Chapter 1

**Chapter 1: Desperate Decisions**

Mandy set the last dish into the cupboard with a sigh. The chores were finally done! She smiled and pushed a blonde curl behind her ear.

"Mandy?" a small voice asked. She turned to find her little sister hiding behind the door. "Can you play now?"

"Of course." she picked up the tiny eight year old. "What would you like to do?"

"Why don't we go to the park? It's warm out today." her younger brother suggested. He sat at the dining table, a well chewed Popsicle stick between his lips.

"Would you like that, Hailey?" the shy girl's brown eyes sparkled at the thought. She scrambled out of Mandy's arms and slipped her shoes on. Mandy and her brother followed suit. She grabbed her hobo bag, and they left.

"Hey, Mandy?"

"Hey, Max." She responded.

"Why do you have your art supplies?" the young boy asked. Mandy slapped her hand against her chest, mouth agape in an expression of mock hurt.

"There are more than just art supplies in this here bag! I also have snacks, a pocket knife, water, a unicorn carcass-"

"Unicorn carcass?" Hailey squeaked. Mandy chuckled.

"Just making sure you were paying attention." She smoothed down her sister's straight black hair. Mandy took a seat on the bench near the river, the children ran off to play tag. A moment in her peripheral vision caught her attention. A barn owl was perched a foot away. She stared at the bird in awe before grabbing her sketchbook.

"You are the most beautiful creature I have ever seen." she whispered. Her pencil flew across the page, creating the gentle curve of a beak, graceful feathers, strong legs, and wise eyes. She studied his eyes closely, capturing all the expressions running through the seemingly endless onyx orbs. However, one emotion stood out among the rest.

" You seem fairly lonely for an owl so young. Would you like a friend?" she dug through her bag and pulled out a baggy of goldfish. She dumped a few crackers into her palm and offered them to the owl. He crept closer, leaned in, and took the salty treats. He glanced from her, to her bag, and back to her.

"_Hoo," _ he cooed, cocking his head. She handed him another.

"You seem like a friendly little guy. May I pet you?" She cautiously moved her hand toward his head. She hesitated slightly, unsure if he'd allow her to touch him. He pressed his head to her fingertips. While she lightly brushed his brown-and-white speckled feathers, a melody popped into her mind. She began to softly sing.

_ "As the pain sweeps through, makes no sense for you_

_ Every thrill is gone, wasn't too much fun at all_

_ But I'll be there for you as the world falls down_

_ I'm falling deeper, falling in love." _

The owl's eyes seemed to widen the slightest fraction. He stepped closer to her. Her smile was dazzling.

"My mother used to sing that to me. She died when I was thirteen, a year after the twins were born." she gestured to her younger siblings. "Whenever she sang that song, she'd tell a wonderful story. A story of creatures, betrayal, and magic. Her story inspired this." she pushed down the sleeve of her sweatshirt to reveal a tattoo of a barn owl. The owl was perched on a tree branch on a night of a full moon. She pulled the gray shoulder back up.

"Mandy? Who are you talking to?" Max threw a rock at her, which she caught without a single glance. She looked at her brother, who looked so much like their mother. Both the twins had her black hair and brown eyes. However, she inherited her father's looks; blonde hair and aquamarine eyes. She shook her head to clear her mind of her parents.

"I'm talking to this handsome owl." She tossed her snack baggy away and tossed the rock over her shoulder. Max cocked an eyebrow.

"Why talk to an owl? He can't talk back."

"I don't know, but there's something about him that piques my interest." She stroked the avian's feathers. "Maybe it's the way he doesn't fear humans. He seems fairly regal, maybe it's that?" None of that was true, maybe the regal part, but there was something familiar about him. She couldn't quite place what.

"Whatever." Max waved his hand in a dismissive manner and ran off.

"Children, you can't live with them, you can't live without them." she sighed with a chuckle. The owl nudged her hand with a "_Hoo."_

"If you're asking for more food, it ain't gonna happen." she hooked a finger around the chain of her locket and fiddled with the pendant. A small animal scurried through the grass behind the bench. The owl's head swiveled around at full speed, listening intently. His eyes narrowed as he slowly made his way closer to the noise. His wings unfolded to their full span as he dove for his kill. He pecked at the squeaking ground for a few seconds before flying back up to his perch, a mouse crushed between his beak. He gulped down the furry rodent. A giggle slipped through Mandy's lips.

"A fierce little guy, aren't you?" her nails trailed his feathers. Her peace didn't last much longer.

"Mandy!" Hailey's normally soft voice echoed throughout the empty park. Something was wrong. Mandy shot off the bench and high-tailed it to the where she last saw the twins. Nothing. She checked under the bridge, behind trees, and even behind the concrete figures scattered around. They weren't anywhere to be found. A soft ripple on the surface of the lake made her stop in her tracks. She dipped her hand under to feel around. She caught hold of a hand and pulled Max from the water, Hailey tucked into his side.

"What happened?" She asked. Hailey started to shiver.

"A c-couple of m-men tried t-to take us. M-max remembered what y-you told us to d-do, so we hid u-under the water." Hailey stuttered out.

"Let's go." Mandy started to grab their hands.

"Mandy! Look out!" Max yelled. Mandy didn't have time to react before she was yanked from the hood of her sweatshirt. She gasped as a boot pressed its way into her windpipe. Though she couldn't see her brother and sister, she could hear them crying when the other man picked them up. Mandy let her own boot fly upward, ending up square between her perpetrator's legs. He crashed down next to her.

"You...bitch!" he gasped out.

"Steel toes, you tick!" She ran after the man carrying the children. Once she caught up to him, she landed a side kick into his stomach. The children were dropped down and all three took off. They ran into the woods, taking the indirect way home. Mandy could hear another set of footsteps up ahead. There was a third man!

"Max, take Hailey and under that fallen tree. Now!" she whispered. They ducked under the tree, out of sight, just before the third man rounded the corner. Mandy pretended to be terrified at having become trapped, slowly backing away from the twin's hiding place.

"I thought for sure you had two little brats with you, sweet cheeks." the black clad man chuckled darkly. Two arms circled around her own, pinning her arms behind her back. Her muscles groaned in protest.

"Thought you could get away from us?" he asked, hand trailing up her spine. She shivered in disgust.

"No, but you might want to avoid trying for children anytime soon, Numb Nuts." she growled out. The guy who picked up the kids circled her and Numb Nuts.

"Where are the kids? There's no way they got away that quickly." he pulled a knife from his belt. He walked toward the fallen tree. Panic started to set in. Mandy struggled against his hold on her. She leaned forward and slammed her head into his nose. She made a run for it, knowing all three men would follow her. However, she didn't count on Hailey crawling from her sanctuary. The man in the back of the group noticed Mandy staring behind them. He smirked.

"Kids! Run! Now!" without hesitation, they ran in the opposite direction. The armed man wasn't far behind. Mandy made a U turn and changed gears, running full speed. White and tan flashed in the corner of her eye. She didn't notice before, but the owl had followed them into the woods and had watched the whole thing. Her lungs began to burn. She knew she won't be able to run for much longer. Up ahead, the children had hidden back under the log, Mandy knew they weren't safe. With another glance at the owl, she knew what she had to do. She squeezed her eyes shut and crossed her fingers. _I hope this works. _Her voice was barely above a whisper.

"I-I wish the goblins will come and take the twins away...right now."


	2. Chapter 2

**Chapter 2: A Price to be Paid**

"I-I wish the goblins will come and take the twins away...right now." Mandy whispered.

"Hey! Where the hell'd they go?" the man with the knife, whom Mandy officially dubbed Slapnuts, yelled. Her eyes shot open. _It worked? _She glanced around the woods, the children had indeed disappeared. She smirked.

Numb Nuts came up behind her, but didn't have time to grab his target. She spun with another kick, knocking him back to the ground. She pinched a nerve on the back of his neck. He was unconscious instantly. Slapnuts ran to her. She grabbed his wrist and twisted his arm in a painful angle, pinching the nerve on his neck. Two down, one to go. Her eyes swept over the terrain. The third man, she named Porky the Wonder Slug, was nowhere in sight. She cautiously searched the woods for either PWS or the kids, neither were found.

"Your combat skills are impressive." a British accent filled the air. Mandy instinctively snapped into a fighting stance, then she realized that none of their attackers had an accent. She slowly straightened out when a man stepped from behind a tree. He was tall and lean with sharp facial features. He wore black tights, a loose black shirt, and a cloak with a high collar. His hair was light blonde and choppy, the bottom layer was passed shoulder length. His eyes caught her attention the most; one was a light blue, and the other was a rich brown. She recognized the loneliness within them.

"So, that's how the owl felt so familiar." she whispered in awe. She fisted a hand above her heart and bowed deeply. "It's an honor to meet you, Your Majesty."

"You may raise your head." She did so. A dazzling smile broke out on her face.

"Your Majesty, I assume you came here to tell me to give up on finding my brother and sister, much like you did to my mother?"

"Quite the opposite. I saw that you wished them away for their protection, not because they irritated you. In all my years, never have I seen that happen. You have earned my respect, Mandy." he had summoned a crystal while he was talking, flipping it from one side of his hand to the other.

"Does that mean you'll give them back?" she asked hopefully.

"Not unless you run my labyrinth. Surely you knew you risked never seeing them again when you wished them away." he cocked his head. She nodded.

"Mother told me never to wish them away, because there was a strong possibility that I wouldn't be able to solve the labyrinth in time. But wishing them away was the only thing that came to mind. I panicked." she adjusted the strap of her bag. The air became warmer and the light was brighter. She realized they were no longer in the woods, but a desert. The king pointed behind her, she turned to find the labyrinth, a structure miles in diameter with a tall pointy building in the center.

"I will give your siblings back if you manage to solve the labyrinth. You will be given thirteen hours. If you're not at the center of the labyrinth by then, the twins will become one of us."

"I'd rather them be in the hands of a king who successfully rules over goblins than dead. If I don't make it through, please take care of them." she looked back at him, but he had already disappeared.

"I wish you the best of luck." his voice rang. She knew she was alone after that. She gazed upon the labyrinth.

"My God, it's so beautiful." _Exactly like Mother said. _When she came to her senses, she dumped all the crap from her bag and counted what she had; 1 notepad with a pencil, 3 water bottles, 1 baggy of goldfish, 3 apples, a compass, a switch blade, duct tape, a harmonica, her keys, a first aid kit, her phone, and other miscellaneous objects. She flipped open her phone and set the timer for thirteen hours. Then, she picked up her compass and faced the castle. South. She put everything away and went in search for the gates.

She soon found a small pond a few dozen yards away from the wall. A dwarf knelt there, washing his large hands. His wispy hair hid underneath an intricately designed cap. Dwarf. She knew his name. What was it again? It started with a "H", that she knew. She approached him.

"Excuse me?"

"Oh, excuse me." he turned to her.

"Would you happen to be the gate keeper?"

"What of it?" he picked up an object she couldn't identify and moved to the walls. Small organisms flew from the plants there. Fairies?

"I was wondering if you could show me how to get into the labyrinth." He stopped in his tracks. He was clearly about to spray one of the fairies with whatever was in the container. "Would you happen to be...Hoggle?"

"Yes. Who are you?"

"My name is Mandy." she paused. "I'm Sarah's daughter."

"Why didn't she come with you? How is she? Did you wish away your brother or sister, like she did?" he started pestering her with questions.

"I'm sorry, but I don't have much time."

"Oh, yes. You gets in there." he pointed to a large set of double doors that opened themselves. She stepped inside the labyrinth and glanced both ways. They looked the same. She decided to go left.

"Thank you, Hoggle." she jogged away, passing bunches of critters growing on the wall. They had eyeballs on the tips.

"Now _that _is freaky. Interesting, but freaky." she waved to them, figuring they must be how the king is able to watch what happens within the labyrinth. Makes sense.

Mandy trailed her hand along the bricks while she hopped over branches. She eventually found an opening in the wall. _Finally!_ Before she knew it, tall concrete figures with hands pointing different directions stood scattered around her. She took out her compass. Left. Right. Straight. Left. Dead end.

"Oh, great." she turned and just stared at the wall. A box. She's now trapped in a box. "Well, that's...a little bit...huh..."

"Not fair, isn't it?" a voice said behind her, then laughter. "But that's only half of it." Two goblins stood in front of two doors. They looked like dogs with mustaches. One wore blue, the other in red. They held up some form of stone shield. Wait, there were four of them! Two on top, two on bottom. That was freaky.

"Well, how do I get out of here?" she asked them.

"The only way out of here is through these doors." said the blue one. The red one popped up. "One of them leads to the center of the labyrinth, and the other one leads to-"

"Bum, bum, bum, bum!"

"-_certain death_."

"Let me guess, you can't tell me which is which." her hands found themselves on her hips.

"Correct! Now, I should warn you that one of us always tells the truth and one always lies."

"Doesn't the fact that you're telling me this mean you are the one that tells the truth?"

"It doesn't count until after we tell you the rules." the blue one explained. Mandy paced, trying to figure out what to do. No other options. She approached the red one.

"Does this door lead to the castle?" she asked. The goblin discussed with his partner.

"No."

"Will he tell me that this door leads to the castle?" she pointed to the other goblin.

"Yes."

"Does the other door lead to the castle?"

"Yes." Mandy pouted slightly and paced again. _Eh, screw it. _

"I'll just take this door." the goblin moved from her way and she stepped through the door. The floor fell, luckily she was caught by dozens of hands. Green and slimy hands. Helping hands, Mother said.

"Which way?" three hands made a face and spoke to her. _Talking hands. Mother was right; this place is really weird. _

"Which way? You mean up or down?" Several more hands made faces.

"Come on!"

"We haven't got all day." this one had a mustache.

"Which do you want to go?" a big chin. She weighed her options. Nothing good could come from going down, but she wanted to know what was down there.

"Well, guess I'll go down."

"She chose down!" they all cheered. They handed her down and she crashed to a hard dirt floor. A door covered in cob-webs shut several feet above her. Still trapped. _Well, this is really starting to suck._

Meanwhile, at the castle, Jareth sat on his throne. His gaze was on Mandy's face in the crystal. _She's been in the labyrinth for an hour and a half, and has already made it this far! Mandy is a remarkable young woman. She'll complete the labyrinth, I have no doubt. _

"Mandy won't give up! She'll run your stupid labyrinth easily!" the older of Mandy's siblings yelled, echoting the king's thoughts. He continued to stare at the girl, his mind wandering.

"Are you ignoring me? Mandy is going to beat your tight pant wearing butt!" the child has arm around his younger sister, who was silently crying. Jareth kicked the nearest goblin.

"Gren, why don't you take our guests on a tour of their new home."

"Just the castle, Your Highness?" the small creature bowed his furry head.

"Take them where ever, just get them out of my sight." he waved his hand absently, his mind on the girl. He watched her remove a metal object from her shoulder pouch, and played a soft and cheery tune. _Could Mandy be the one we've been searching for? _


	3. Chapter 3

**Chapter 3: Truth be Told**

Mandy sat in the Oubliette. Of course, it had to be...pitch...black... To calm her nerves, she played a cheesy prison song on her harmonica.

_Vro, vroo, vroovroo_

"_I'm to meet my doom"_

_Vro, Vroo, vroovroo_

"_In a cold, dark room"_

_Vro, Vroo, vroovroo_

"_How do I get out?"_

_Vro, vroo, vroovroo_

"_Help is to come, I doubt"_

As she played, she fished for her keys. Light filled the cavern. _Eat flashlight key chain, goblins!_ Her eyes wandered around. Dirt everywhere. A half burnt candle sat at the room's center. The artificial light trailed the walls of her prison. There was something in the far corner. _What is...?_

"Aaah!" a shriek escaped her as she jumped back. She slapped a hand over her mouth. _Skeletons? There are skeletons in here! 1...2...3...and a half! Where's the rest of him? _Her phobia grew when she realized there was no escape. She began exploring, and tripped. She cringed in disgust. _Found the rest of him._ She tried getting up, but stopped. A light twinkled on the wall near the ground. She crawled over to the sparkling dirt. A tiny point poked up. She dug up a ring. The ring was loosely braided silver, a shining moonstone sat cradled between the intertwined metal. She examined the piece closely. It was beautiful, and looked like a wedding ring. She slipped it onto her ring finger. Perfect fit.

Suddenly, the candle lit the room. A glow spiraled in four lines across the stone, forming a poem.

"_The spirit ring is in your hand,_

_The power of Sight is at your command._

_Now find where earth meets water,_

_There lies the chalice of wonder."_

She copied the words into her notebook. "This is insane." A line of light dissolved the dirt on the ground, and shot to a wooden plank. She picked it up, setting it on the wall. _Open it to the left. _A voice echoed in her head. She followed the voice's instructions. Outside the door was a long pathway, dozens of face statues yelling that she's going the wrong direction. She paid them little attention. The line continued around stones, passed a broken gate, and into a secret room. She was still under the labyrinth, so why would the light lead her here?

Jareth sat bolt upright on his throne. _ How'd she get out of the Oubliette? _The girl seemed to be in a daze, almost as if under the spell of an enchanted something. It was then that he saw the sparkle on her left hand. He narrowed his mismatched eyes. _It couldn't be... It is! _His breath caught in his chest.

"Hedgewart!" he yelled for his gatekeeper.

"Yes, your Majesty." Hoggle asked tiredly, but quickly righted himself. By the look in Jareth's eyes, he could tell that whatever His Highness needed, it was important.

"Which oubliette was she in?"

"I believe it was the third of the North side." with that, Jareth disappeared into a puff of glitter.

Mandy hummed a tune while she tried to find her way out of there, her heart beating as the drums in her rhythm. She hated that she still feared the dark. Could never stand slumber parties because of it. Never stayed out passed twilight. She always felt useless with such a childish phobia. In her thoughts, her hand hit a bar -no, a ladder- and she began to climb. After about fifty feet, she hit concrete. She popped the square rock out of place, but only to come face to face with a pair of leather boots. She hoisted herself out of the dark and replaced the labyrinth's tile.

"Good evening, Your Majesty." she gave a pleasant smile. He ignored it and grabbed her wrist.

"Where did you find this ring?" he asked in a hushed whisper.

"It was in the oubliette I was trapped in. Why, is it important?" she cocked her head. He let her wrist go.

"The fact that you found that ring, makes me the happiest sorcerer alive." he started to walk away, but stopped. "Do you know how much time you have left?"

"Um," she checked her phone, "ten hours and twelve minutes."

"You've done wonderfully so far, but I'm afraid that you're not just battling for your siblings anymore." he gestured for her to walk with him.

"What do you mean? Does it have anything to do with this ring?" she struggled to keep up with him. He led her through the twists and sudden turns.

"It has everything to do with that ring. We've been waiting for you for a long time." he was talking to himself more than to her. "For so long, I thought that Sarah was the one. I knew I had the bloodline correct, but wrong with the generation. I thought that Sarah was too young to see the magic, so I gave her an offer in case she changed her mind before she left. A chance to grow and learn to feel it. It wasn't until she was wed that I knew I was incorrect."

"Um, you're rambling. Did you mistake my mother for something important?" they stopped. She had to keep herself from gasping. They were surrounded by beautiful plants. Flowers and trees of all kinds. In the middle of the garden was a huge water fountain in the shape of fairies playing on lily pads.

"Welcome to the Royal Gardens." he eased her toward a stone four feet tall. There appeared to be some writing on it.

"Why'd you bring me here? Not that it's not gorgeous, but I don't understand why you pulled me aside." she wrung her hands, a nervous habit of sorts.

"Tell me, are you able to read the inscription on this stone?" he stood so close to her, she could practically hear his heartbeat. She nodded and recited the text.

"_Life is gone where the monarch is bound,_

_Six enchanted objects must be found._

_They can only be seen by mortal blood,_

_However, the line can only be one._

_If the mortal fails to bring them together,_

_The lush of the land will be lost forever."_

Her voice trailed off as she finished. He saw her shock and draped his arms around her shoulder. "This garden is all that is left of the life that thrived in my kingdom. The plants have all died. The temperatures are so high, that we are forced to ration water. The goblins are even slowly decreasing in population. Everything is dying. Mandy, we need your help."

"How does my being able to read that have anything to do with any of this?" she demanded.

"The prophecy is written in an ancient faerie text, only us and a special human can read it. That special human is the answer to all our problems. You, Mandy, are that special human."


	4. Chapter 4

**Chapter 4: Memories**

Mandy's jaw dropped. "Me? How am I special?"

"Your bloodline is the key to end our suffering. When your mother wished away young Tobias, I thought she was it. However, she never found any of the items. By the time she married your father, I knew she wasn't coming back. You found the ring, the very first item to be found. You _are_ the one." Jareth took three steps back, his face was shadowed by his blonde bangs. Mandy sat on the edge of the fountain, holding her head.

"Okay, so you're telling me that because I found this ring, I'm supposed to save the labyrinth?"

"Yes, that is correct." he sat next to her and took her hand in his.

"How am I supposed to be the labyrinth's salvation if I can't even make breakfast without burning the milk and spilling the toast?" a few moments of silence passed before she realized what she just said. She mentally slapped herself. First, she has to get her brother and sister. Now, she has to save a dying civilization? She can't possibly _not _collapse under this much stress.

"It's hard, I know. I also know that what I'm about to tell you isn't going to help, but you have to find all the enchanted items in the time you are given to run the labyrinth."

"Then what the hay am I still sitting here? I should be scouring the labyrinth!" she shot up so fast, that she tripped over her own foot and fell into the fountain. She let out a high squeak as she fell, causing water to enter her mouth. She tried to spit it all out, but she could still feel some slip down her throat.

"Are you alright?" Jareth asked, offering his hand. She reached to take it and stopped, noticing the water.

"Can you hand me my notebook?" she slowly sat on the edge of the fountain and swung her legs over the carved rock.

"What do you see?" Jareth tried to hide the excitement in his voice.

"There are words written in the ripples." Mandy read aloud as she wrote.

_ "You have drank from the chalice of wonder,_

_You now control the Fall's thunder._

_Now find the rose of stone, _

_It's with the first found bone." _

"What does that mean, 'the first found bone'?" she cocked a blonde brow.

"Perhaps, it means that we should look where my kingdom first started dying." he guessed.

"Alright, let's check it out. Where do we go?" He hesitated with his answer.

"You may not like it."

"What is it?" she let out a groan.

"The front gates."

"The gates to the labyrinth? Where Hoggle is?" her irritation was obvious. He nodded. She sighed. "Fine." Mandy took one last look at the beautiful sight before her, and they left.

"I can't believe the fountain was the chalice. That was pure luck that we found it." Jareth said, his fingertips rubbing his temples.

"No, luck has nothing to do with it. There are no accidents, everything happens for a reason. The fact that we found the chalice proves I'm the human in the prophecy" she followed Jareth through the maze. He decided to change the subject.

"You mentioned earlier that Sarah was dead. How did she pass?"

"Well, after the twins were born, my parents didn't get a whole lot of time to themselves. They would have me watch the kids the first Wednesday of each month, their date night. They were on their way to the restaurant when it happened. A truck driver didn't stop at a red light, like he was supposed to. Their light was green, so they entered the intersection. The truck hit them head on. They were pronounced dead at the scene." she finished her story with a shaky sigh. He didn't want to continue asking questions, but he was curious.

"What happened to you after that? If I recall correctly, humans can't live alone at that age, especially with two infants."

"You're correct. The twins lived with Uncle Toby, but he didn't have enough income to support all four of us. I moved in with a close friend of mine. I owe that crazy woman a lot. When I turned eighteen, the court allowed me to take back the twins." she almost tripped again, but caught herself.

"What was your friend like?" He kicked a rock from his path, twirling his scepter. Mandy smiled at the memory of her friend.

"Her name is Calah. A beautiful young woman. She and I are the bestest of friends. We share a love for many of the same things; movies, bands, books, characters. We're so close, almost like sisters. She's very talented. Even designed my tattoo." she pointed to her shoulder. "I'd do absolutely anything for her."

"You seem to care about her a great deal."

"How could I not care about someone who served as my second family?" she twisted the ring. Jareth chuckled.

"Touche."


End file.
